EUR 12.4 million for the experimentation programme 'Nutrient recycling into practice'

Press release of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of the Environment

Finland is fully committed to becoming an even better model country in nutrient recycling. One of the key projects of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä's Government programme is concerned with investing in the recycling and utilisation of nutrients and actions to protect the Baltic Sea and other waters. The experimentation programme on nutrient recycling brings more than EUR 12 million to be used for the development and testing of innovative technologies and logistics solutions. Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen declared the experimentation programme opened at the seminar launching the key project in Helsinki on 19 April.

– Nutrient recycling is one of the key elements of the circular economy and our national food security. The profitability of farms depends on new thinking, sustainable production, resource efficiency, promotion of local food and economies, and branding the products. There are new business opportunities, for example, in recycling the nutrients contained in animal manure and sewage sludge, says Minister Tiilikainen.

– At the same time we will considerably reduce loading to waters when nutrients that are about to run into waters are brought back to the cycle, Tiilikainen continues.

The aims of the experimentation programme include the promotion of processing technologies, nutrient recycling logistics and service solutions as well as developing high-quality products from biomasses.

– The funding is primarily targeted to companies developing and testing new technologies and project actors working in close collaboration with companies to promote nutrient recycling, says Minister Tiilikainen.

The experimentation programme will run through until 2018 by means of national funding, with the project coordination managed by the South Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. The application for funding will be opened in May–June, to be announced at the ministry's website and in relevant newspapers.